ventura county profile
TRANSCRIPT
Running Head: VENTURA COUNTY 1
Ventura County
A Health-Related Profile
Amanda Romano-Kwan
California State University of Long Beach
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Abstract
This paper is on the California state county of Ventura, with a strong focus on its Health Care
system. It is intended as an overview of Ventura County’s health status. The report will be
discussing the various aspects of the county, such as the overall general information, the
community health status indicators, and its medical services. The issues and statistical data
brought up in this research paper are taken from various online web sources and recent studies.
The research will be going over Ventura County’s Mortality and Morbidity Rates, their Health
Behaviors, and their Health Care Access and Quality. It will also talk about the county’s
Welfare, Behavioral Health, and Public Health Programs. Finally, the paper will discuss the
major issues that Ventura County faces, the consequences of the issues, what the county has
done to address the various problems, and other recommended methods of action to help combat
these concerns.
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Ventura County
A Health-Related Profile
Ventura County was incorporated on March 22, 1872. It is one of 58 counties in
California and has a population of roughly 850,000 (842,967 people to be exact), making it the
11th most populous county in California (Counties, California State Association of, n.d.). The
cities that are included inside of Ventura County are: Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Ojai,
Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Paula, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, and San Buenaventura.
Ventura’s annual budget consists of $1.8 billion dollars, and their form of government is general
law. Their main economic industries include biotechnology, agriculture, advanced technologies,
oil production, military testing and development, and tourism. Ventura, along with every other
county in California, faces multiple different health care problems. This report contains
information on Ventura County and the different benefits and drawbacks of its different health
care services.
General Information
Population: General Demographics and Socioeconomic Status
The population of Ventura is numerous and diverse. The population estimate in Ventura
County was 846,178 people, compared to the statewide average of 38,802,500. The population
is about evenly split between genders, with women at 50.5%. Over 80% of the population in
Ventura County is recorded as white, compared to the state of California who reports that
roughly 73% of its population is white. Only 2.2% in Ventura identify as African American,
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1.9% as Native American and Alaskan Native, 7.5% as Asian, and 0.3% as Pacific Islander or
Hawaiian Native. 6.5% of the population in California identify as African American, 1.7% as
Native American and Alaskan Native, 14.4% as Asian, and 0.5% as Pacific Islander or Hawaiian
Native (United States Census Bureau, 2015). According to information collected in 2013, the
statewide average of the population in poverty was 16.8%. Children in California from up to the
age of 17 to be reported in poverty was 23.5%. In contrast, 12% of the population in Ventura
County was reported to be in poverty, along with 18% of its children in poverty (United States
Department of Agriculture , 2015). These rates demographics are important in determining the
socioeconomic status of the county.
Community Health Status Indicators
Mortality Rates, Morbidity Rates, Health Care Access & Quality, and Health Behaviors
Ventura County’s population provides a large amount of statistical data that we can use to
help evaluate its people’s health status and compare it to the state’s average. This includes the
general but essential community health status indicators. The mortality and morbidity rates vary
from different social groups. The male life expectancy in Ventura County is very high, and they
report low statistics of death by unintentional injuries, including motor vehicles. However,
although cancer rates and chronic diseases are only moderate, their rates for deaths caused by
Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes is also very high. The overall adult health status in Ventura is
moderate, but they struggle with adult obesity and older adult asthma. There is a slight problem
with adult smoking, drinking, and physical inactivity, and there are a moderate number of
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teenage births. Contrastingly, STD rates are low, and very few people are affected with HIV or
Syphilis (Community Health Status Indicators, 2015). These health behaviors are telling about
the type of health care access and quality that the people of Ventura County are treated to. With
easier and more affordable access to their health care system, some of the health behaviors could
be improved.
Social Factors and Physical Environment
The social factors and physical environment of a county are important because they
contribute to the overall health status of the population. Poor areas and rural communities tend to
have a higher rate of diseases and other sicknesses. The social factors and physical environment
in Ventura is good overall. The rates of violent crime are very low, however there is still a battle
against unemployment, poverty, and high housing costs. Fortunately, all of these rates are only
moderate, and can be fixed over time. Ventura County also has good access to healthy foods and
public parks, which is highly beneficial to health of the community (Community Health Status
Indicators, 2015).
Nutrition and Food Insecurity
Ventura County offers a number of programs to improve their nutrition and help people
with food insecurity. Ventura is aided with a variety of Food and Nutrition Assistance Programs,
including the Food Stamp Program, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the School
Breakfast Program (SBP), various Summer Nutrition Programs, and the Child & Adult Care
Food Program (CACFP) (California Food Policy Advocates, 2015). These programs make a
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huge difference in the lives of many children and families daily. They provide a healthy and
nutritious option for families who cannot afford to live as healthy as they would like. According
to information collected in 2010, out of a total population of 797,740, Ventura County had
68,486 people in poverty, which is roughly 9%. The number of participating people in the Food
Stamp program is 36,508, ranking Ventura as number 26 of the counties. The number of adults
in food insecure households in the county is 59,000, or 47.3% of its people, compared to
California, who have 2,875,000 people, or 34.8% of its population. There is an obesity problem
in Ventura County, with 54.1% of its adult population considered overweight or obese. There are
48,000 individuals in Ventura with Type II Diabetes (California Food Policy Advocates, 2015).
Chronic Conditions
There are many chronic conditions that affect the people of our country. The state of
California has a population rate of 10% diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia,
compared to the County at 9.4%. Ventura has a higher percentage of Asthma than the nation,
with the County at 5.4% and the country at only 4.6%. Ventura’s cancer percentage stands at
8.1%, a much higher rate than desired. Although depression and diabetes rates of 11.5% and
25.7% score lower than the state averages, they are not low enough, showing only a little more
than a 0.5% decrease (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2015). Overall Ventura is
about average compared to the other counties in the state. Ventura’s health care system covers
multiple chronic conditions, however they have a main focus on diabetes, obesity, and
hypertension early detection health screenings through the Chronic Disease Prevention Program
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(CDPP). The CDPP is happy to develop and administer prevention and educational programs
that empower the population to prevent disease, improve health, and promote wellness in
Ventura County (Ventura County Health Care Agency, 2015).
Children’s Health
Children’s health is important in every county. The future lies in the youth, and each
county does its best to properly serve the children of their population. There are 204,901 children
in Ventura County (Children Now, 2015). In 2014, it was reported that 90% of children were
covered by some form of health insurance. In terms of child health, Ventura ranks number 44 of
58 counties. According to the demographics from 2015, the child mortality rate in Ventura is
39.2, compared to the statewide average of 41.8 (County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, 2015).
Health Outcomes and Factors
Ventura’s health outcomes and factors leaves some to be desired. Ventura is ranked
number 15 out of California’s counties in Health Behaviors. 12% of the population are smokers,
and 21% of people are affected by adult obesity. Data states that 4,730 people in Ventura County
died of premature death, compared to the 5,200 in California. These health behaviors majorly
influence the overall health of a population. Many people do not realize that the daily unhealthy
habits they undergo can take a serious toll on their health. Ventura is ranked number 11 for
social and economic factors. The unemployment rate is 7.8%. Some 87% of students graduate
from high school, but only 61.8% have some college education (County Health Rankings &
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Roadmaps, 2015). Proper education is vitally important to a healthy population. With the right
health care education, people can learn preventive methods and simple, cheap home remedies
that would seriously save on medical expenses. Simple changes such as better eating habits or
improved sanitation would eliminate a vast number of medical issues. Prevention is better than a
cure, and education is the key to the start of a better health care system.
Medical Services in Ventura County
Welfare, Behavioral Health, and the Public Health Program (Public and Mental Health
Services)
Ventura County is covered by the Affordable Care Act, however they use an extensive
network of corporations to fully cater to their populations needs. There are still a large number of
uninsured members of the population, and access to primary care providers is low. The Health
and Human Services in Ventura offers access to health coverage, employment and financial
assistance, adult and senior services, food assistance and healthy eating, child and youth
services, veteran services, and services for people who are homeless. Ventura County also has
Public Health Services. They use programs like MyBenefitsCalWIN, In-Home Supportive
Services, Foster VC Kids, CalJOBS, and the Homelessness Prevention & Rapid Re-Housing
Program (Health and Human Services, n.d.). Behavioral Health Services include alcohol and
drug programs, DUI programs, and mental health services for youth and families and adults
(Ventura County Health Care Agency, 2015).This wide array of health care services offered in
Ventura County are vital to the large population. Without a proper health care system, people are
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left with high prices and inadequate care. These health services are there to help heal and nurture
the people of Ventura County as best as they possibly can.
Hospitals, Community Clinics, and Physicians
Within every health care system, there is a strong network of hospitals, community
clinics, and physicians to help improve the overall health of the population. It is important that
each community has enough access to quality care in order to ensure that the people of their
county maintains a high status of health. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of health care
professionals and physicians in the medical field, which drastically impacts those who live in
rural cities. Because rural communities typically have an elderly population and a less sanitary
environment, the people are open to a variety of disease. This increases the demand of
physicians, but unfortunately there are not enough to supply those in need. The brain drain,
which is the term for physicians migrating from rural communities to urban cities for better
benefits and higher paying jobs, can seriously affect the health of a population. It is essential that
the shortage of health care workers is addressed. Fortunately, according to information gathered
in December of 2014, there are many health care facilities in Ventura County, including 2 major
hospitals, 20 long-term care facilities, 22 primary care clinics, 15 specialty clinics, and 99 home
health agencies and hospices (State of California: Office Statewide Health Planning and
Development, 2015). This also includes five Alcohol and Drug Centers, 5 DUI Programs, and 16
Mental Health Services for Adults and Youth and Family (Ventura County Health Care Agency,
2015). The total number of Community Clinics and Health Centers is 18, who serve 11% of the
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population. The total patients served in the county is about 93,015 people (California Primary
Care Association, 2015). According to demographics collected in 2008, out of a population of
837,840 people, 1,330 are registered as physicians under all specialties. The total number of
physicians per 100,000 people is 1587.42 (Kevin Grumbach, 2009).
Health Insurance and Medi-Cal Managed Care
The multiple health insurance plans and Medi-Cal Managed Care programs are incredibly
important to Ventura County’s population. In terms of insurance, 18.1% of the population in
Ventura County who are under the age of 65 are without health insurance, compared to the 14%
statewide in California (United States Census Bureau, 2015). The percentage of insured children
without disabilities in Ventura County is 96.6% (kidsdata.org, 2015). Health insurance is an
integral part of the health care system. Unfortunately, the high prices of health insurance make
access to health care increasingly difficult. Without proper coverage, people cannot afford the
medicine that they require and are therefore left to deal with their medical issues on their own.
This is an issue that needs to be addressed. Ventura County implemented the Health Care
Coverage Initiative, or HCCI, as their ACE (Access, Coverage, Enrollment) Program in
September of 2007. It expands health coverage for uninsured residents with incomes at or below
200% of the FPL, or the Federal Poverty Level. Their focus is on preventive care and health
maintenance of chronic conditions (California Department of Health Care Services, 2015).
Crucial Health Problems, Their Consequences, and How to Address Them
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One of the most crucial health problems in Ventura County is obesity, with over 54.1%
of its adult population considered overweight or obese (California Food Policy Advocates,
2015). Causes of obesity can vary, from simple overeating and a high diet of simple
carbohydrates, to inactivity and a slow metabolism, or to family genetics. Many people are not
well-educated on healthy eating or dieting, and unfortunately much of the food in our country is
unhealthy and not organic. Those who do try to eat healthily find it difficult, as prices of organic
produce are typically much higher priced than the cheaper supermarket options. Obesity is a
serious chronic disease that affects people across the nation, and can drastically decrease the
length and quality of a person’s life. It increases a person’s risk of cancer and several other
deadly diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and
stroke. According to a cross-sectional study, obesity also has a strong effect on an individual’s
mental state and mood, declaring that “people who were obese were more likely to have
depression than people with healthy weights” (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public health, n.d.).
Despite the drastic effects that it can have on a person’s life, obesity is not permanent, and
Ventura County has programs in place to help aid their population with their problem. A
majority of these policies are simple healthy eating policies, and some of them have been made
to address obesity and increase physical activity in school settings, and are mandated at the state
or federal level. One program to help combat obesity is Healthy Ventura County. They are a
partnership driven network whose mission is to “educate, advocate and mobilize around issues
related to healthy eating and active living in Ventura County” (Healthy Ventura County, 2015).
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Healthy Ventura County operates through a series of workgroups and committees to promote
being healthy. This includes a series of educational programs about healthy eating, active living,
and other initiatives to maintain a healthy lifestyle amongst family and seniors at home, at
school, at work, and the overall community. According to the County of Ventura website, the
Ventura County Public Health (VCPH) was one of the first local public health departments in
California to receive national accreditation from the Public Health Accreditation Board, and is
still the only county Public Health Department to have earned this after one year. They are also
only one of seventy-five in the country to have received this honor. Furthermore, the California
Department of Public Health awarded the county a 4-year grant of roughly $3,000,000 in 2012,
and even enhanced the grant by about $250,000 later on to “maximize the impact of activities
and strategies that address and promote healthy eating, active living, and access to healthy food
to prevent obesity and related chronic diseases” (County of Ventura, n.d.). Despite the policies in
place, there is no guarantee that these solutions will work. In order to save government money
and utilize it properly, it would be wiser to instead focus on the main underlying issues that
cause obesity. Environmental factors that should be addressed include the limited access to
affordable fruits and vegetables, the lack of safe physical environments, and the oversaturation
of unhealthy foods and beverages. Lifestyle or behavioral factors that contribute are the lack of
time or convenience to stay active and eat healthy, the inability to afford healthy products, the
lack of proper medical care, and the lack of knowledge and information to maintain a healthy
lifestyle (Ventura County Health Care Agency, 2013). Although the programs implemented do
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their best to educate the county’s population and inspire and promote them to live healthy, active
lifestyles, this method is slow and not always effective. Instead, the focus should be on lowering
the costs of healthy and organic produce and offering benefits and deals to programs or other
opportunities to lose weight. If the lack of time or convenience to stay healthy and active is a
problem, Ventura should seek out methods to make their programs open and available for longer
hours of the day, or have more locations spread out throughout the county to ensure that they are
more accessible. Instead of spending the grant money that they have received on even more
programs, it would be more efficient for them to focus on spending their money on healthier
produce for their county, or to create cheap and affordable programs to help the children of
Ventura County stay active.
Conclusions
Overall, the county of Ventura ranks around average in health care compared to the other
counties of California. The county’s main problems revolve around chronic diseases, obesity,
and various poor health behaviors. Though many areas of their health care system is lacking, the
most important fixes come in the form of lower costs, easier access, and more education. I
believe that these are the fundamental problems in the system, and by starting with these issues,
we can make a slow but steady start toward a better and healthier future.
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